Car-axle.



J. F. FOX.

CAR AXLE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 29. 191s.

IIMHIWUI Patented Ine. 11, Ismo JOHN F. FOX, VF BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA.

cali-Axim.

asientoi "Speczifitation` of Letters Patent. Pwfgmv'gd Dde, im, 119911?.

' Application `filed. September 29, 1916. Serial No.V 122,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OH F. Fox, a citizen of the United States, andaresident of the city of Birmingham, in the County of `J efferson andState of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in`Car-Axles, of which the'following is a full,

clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing, forming part of this specification. u

My invention relates to hollow axles, particularly for mine cars,wherein the hollow axle is a grease receptacle and the greasev is fedthence to thewheel= hubs. T he grease used must be liquid or`semi-liquid in con sistency and various means are provided in the artfor causing it to flow to the wheel hubs. V l,

There are various types of hollow axles for feeding grease in mine carsand 'the like; in some of which thefgrease passes out through the end ofthe axle, and

in others of which the grease passes out through ports in the axle,either to grooves in the wheel hubs or direct to the hubs. In

these various types of wheel axles, I have found, however, that thedifficulty experienced is that the grease passes out too rapidly andin avery short time the wheel axles become empty..v Itis of very greatimportance, therefore, to be able to control the iow of the lubricant sothat the hubs of the wheels shall be lubricated and the lubricantmaintained without any surplus feed through the openings. s i

It is the object, therefore, of my invention to provide a retardingmember which shall be placed inside of the hollow axle, independentthereof, also to turn eccentrically in the hollow axle so as to -keepthe grease stirred up, but at the same time to retard the flow along thelength of the retarding member' and the hollow axle.

"With such arnember' locatedin the axlef for retarding and controllingthe flow of the lubricant, I have obtained most satisfactory results. l

The above objectsIv accomplish by that certain construction `andarrangement of parts to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out andclaimed.

In the drawing,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a mine car truck with'the axle andwheel broken away freeto move endwise andY at one end, and shown'incentral longitudinal section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the hollow axle taken at the middlepointthereof.

Fig. 3 is` an end elevation of the wheel and axle.

Fig.' l is a detail' section, taken through the wheel hub and hollowaxle so as to out the grooves in the wheel. y

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing another type of groove.

Fig. 6 is a detail longitudinal section on v a'larger scale than Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken along the cotter pin hole through theaxle and the end plug therefor.

The axle 1 is formed of a hollowtube and` is supported in the usualblockQ, 2, on aV car such as thevmine car 3. Driven into the ends oftheaxle are plugs 4, which have tubular passageways 5 therein for grease.rIhe central portion 6 of the plugs extends into the hollow axle, andstretching across the space inside of the axle andloosely set on theends 6 ofthe plugs is a pipe 7 of fairly largeldiameter in comparisonwith the hollow axle. By fairly large is meant that this pipe 7 shouldbe more than a mere pin incomparison with the interior diameter of theaxle. l

. Itis not requisite that the pipe 7 be used,

as any bar or number of bars', orl other means, held inside of thehollow axle would serve'the same pur-pose provided only that` they wereof sufficient area.

The pipe 7 is preferably of a size to fit very loosely on the ends 6 ofthe plugs so that there will be, say, half an inch of play lengthwise ofthe pipe, this being for the purpose of giving the pipe an endwisepumping movement by means of the side motion of the car from one side toanother. The`ends of the plugs t are open and threaded toreceivefittings 8, which said `fittings close off the ends of the plugsexceptfor several small vopenings 9 in the fittings.` The plugs have passages`10 therein vat right angles to the passageways 5 and entirely out ofcommunication with them. Through these passages `pass the cotterpins 14,which hold the plugs in place.

On the ends of the axles are set the wheels 11 having hubs 12. Collars13 are set over the ends of the axle and `are held in place by thecotter'pins 14E above mentioned, the

its

axle being` suitablylapertured fat 15,15, to allow lfor passage of thepins.

to the wheel.

Around the hub of the wheel on the inside is lformed `aVsuitable-'chamber orchambers for the receipt of greaseirom the axle, andin the axle are suitable'ports 16,16, through which the grease passes.The chambers areY` hubs of the wheels.

annular in shape.

The pipe 7 has several apertures y1S, in the middle portion thereof(Fig-.1) and grease will flowinsidezofthis pipe. AIt, willdoe noted thatthe 'pipefisllarger than .thecentral perf` tions of the plugs, and thataccordingly fthe grase can ,easily workout of theendsof'the p1pe,asfsisted,.as it,rwill be by thefendwise play thereof. "The, 4pipe will.also' Vfall about in the linside of.v the ,axle when kthelkfear .is

dumped,A and'keephe. greasefrworked up, although .except yat unusual loccurrences the" y The function of ,the p'ipeandjthepreason for itsinsertion l. is soy axle, :does eet. revolvethat `itflwill retard itsflow, ythereby control-- ling. the, amount fed` to the wheels..

In ,operation the, grease is V inserted in the.. vttings in the endplugsaxlehrugh .the thereof, by forcing it invwithza suitable., gun oruthelike. Y i dested@ The mfflf fhe the l axles,fl and .will thus be greasewill beforced by moyehubs. These grooves, which are always, in

registrywith the ports, will Vstill have someV PumpingaCtOn because' 0fthe .endwise play.

of thewvheels, 'which Vwill spread the grease` y alongi theQhubs,thereby tho ,50

ing the ,hlhl'bShand thefaxle at thebcaring poirt within the axle,. willkeep the. grease l.from

collecting andhfremaining in spots along .theJ and compelit innervperiphery of,` the axle, t o-travel. to thei portsin yuniform and re-1strictedsquantties, Y

Thei'special formof .inner memberA shown and,l describedv will be"particularly effective is 'to be understoodl distinctly that inE 'holelow axles'. ofl the. type shown ,with loose wheels,there isnocentrifugal throwing out or.thegrease.v The grease travels out of the:

flower. port; i111. .the axle.. @ed Whenthe axle This collar ispreferably adjusted so that it doesV not' force the hub of thewheelagainst the -block 2 and thereby allows for some endwise play ITheittings mayibeelosed1 if car ,to theinner periphery of in@ roei-@01110-passoutoftheports into the groovesin thel pipe, orwwhatever tubular .orsolid or integral member is used in its placeV vto'control the.movementof the grease. ItY

creeps around, ifsnchtakes place, the other ports will be brought downfor flow.

VIt will be understood that it is not desired that the claims .thatl:follow be limited to specific structure oi' the various elements ofthe device above described, because of a failureV to point out theequivalent structures which eouldbe used without departing from l thevspirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desiretosecure vby .Let-r te.1' S-;Patent,.S=-

1. In combination with a hollow axle, wheels ,having hubs, meansy formounting the. wheels onthe. axleso as to rotate thereon, passagewaysfrom, the axle to the wheel hub, and meanssuspended within the hollowaxle greasehto `said, passageways without ystopping said passageways. ll

2.` InV combinationwith a hollow axle, a wheel having a hub mounted ontheI axle and adapted to rotate thereon, ports in the sides ofthe axleleading to the wheel, hubs, andineanssuspended withinthe hollow axle tovcontrol land retard the liowing 4oi the grease tosaidy p assagewayswithout stopping said passageways.

Incombination, with a lhollow axle, a

wheelliaving a hub mounted` on, theaxle;

andadaptedatorotate thereon, a groove `in the hub, ports in the.. axleVcoiilrzinriicating, with the, groove and.. means suspended withe inthehollow axle' to controhthe. flowing .of

grease to ysaid passagevways without stopping said passageways.

4.,]:11 combination,- witlra h ollow axle,v a

wheel havingA a hub. mounted on the .axle

and,adaptedto rotate thereoingrooves in the, hub separatedby bridges,portsin thel axle,communicatinglwith .the groovesl and meanssuspended,within thef hollow axle tocontrol andretard the flowing of thegrease.

to said passagewayswithoutstopping said passageways.

5.A vIn combination with a hollowa-xle, and wheels .havi1ig, ,hubs`means..i"or mounting wheelson ,the,axle so. asto rotatethereon,passageways from, the axlehto. thei hubs, ,and,.,a membersuspendedlengthwise within the, a xle, and lof .comparatively largeV sizeeompar-e,d ,to the ,interior dimension ,of the axle Sees, .t0 retard.Without .Stopping the How of lubrican l 6. In combination with .ahollow axle,

wheels having hub ysymeans formounting@ wheelon the axlesoasto. rotatethereoln,

passa'geways from the axle to the wheelhub, and, mean-suspended withinthe hollow axle,.but independent thereof, to control and retard lOWIlgof the grease to said passage; ways without stopping the How thereof.

7. In combination with a hollow axle, and wheels having., hubs, meansfor mollnting wheels onv the E -axle so,

to controlv and. retard ,the Howing of the.,

wheel,

as to rotate thereon passageways from the axle to the wheel hubs, and amember suspended by its ends lengthwise within the axle, and ofcomparatively large size compared to the interior dimension of the axle,said member comprising a piece of tubing.

8. ln combination with a hollow axle, and wheels having hubs, means formounting wheels on the axle so as to rotate thereon, passageways fromthe axle to the wheel hubs, and a member suspended by its endslengthwise within the axle, and of comparatively large size compared tothe interior dimension of the axle, said member com prising a piece oftubing, said piece of tubing being mounted so as to allow endwise playthereof.

9. In combination with a hollow axle, and wheels having hubs, means formounting wheels on the axle so as to rotate thereon, passageways fromthe axle to the wheel hubs, and a member suspended by its endslengthwise within the axle, and of comparatively large size compared tothe interior dimensionA of the axle, said member being Gopies of thispatent may be obtained for mounted loosely at the ends so as to allowfor endwise play thereof.

l0. In combination with a hollow axle, and wheels having hubs, means formounting wheels on the axle so as to rotate thereon, passageways fromtheaxle to the wheel hubs, and a member suspended by its ends lengthwisewithin'the axle, and of comparatively large size compared to theinterior dimension of the axle, said member being mounted loosely at theends so as to allow for endwise and lateral play thereof.

11. In combination with a hollow axle, wheels having hubs, means formounting wheels on the axle so as to rotate thereon, passageways fromthe axle to the wheel hubs, and a member suspended by its endslengthwise within the axle, and of comparatively large size compared tothe interior dimensions ol. the axle, said member com prising. a pieceof tubing, and said member being mounted so that its outer edge clearsthe inside of the axle.

JOHN F. FOX.

five cents each, by addressing the Gommissioner of Patents, Washington,D. C.

